Although there was a semblance of a tablet market that had been around for nearly a decade in the PC space, it wasn't until Apple's iPad launched in 2010 that the market really took off. The original iPad was a success for the boys from Cupertino, while the iPad 2 took Apple's tablet sales through the roof. According to the latest figures from IDC, it appears that the "New iPad" is continuing that trend, putting it far ahead of its Android-based rivals.

While overall tablet sales were predictably down from the holiday season (28.2 million units shipped in Q4 2011) to 17.4 million units in Q1 2012, it still represented a 120 percent increase compared to Q1 2011 (7.9 million units). Not surprisingly, Apple's iPad led the way with 11.8 million tablet shipments during the first quarter.

"Apple's move to position the iPad as an all-purpose tablet, instead of just a content consumption device, is resonating with consumers as well as educational and commercial buyers," said Tom Mainelli, research director for Mobile Connected Devices at IDC.

Apple was no doubt helped out by its decision to keep the year-old iPad 2 (16GB, Wi-Fi) onboard to lower the price of entry for its tablet family to $399.

Android tablets, however, took a nose dive in market share during the first quarter, with Amazon falling from second place in shipments to third place, effectively swapping spots with Samsung. The sharp decline in Kindle Fire sales along with an overall weakness in Android-based tablet sales allowed Apple to rebound from a worldwide market share of 54.7 percent in Q4 2011 to a stronger position of 68 percent in Q1 2012.

"It seems some of the mainstream Android vendors are finally beginning to grasp a fact that Amazon, B&N, and Pandigital figured out early on: Namely, to compete in the media tablet market with Apple, they must offer their products at notably lower price points," Mainelli continued.

Mainelli also expects Amazon to ship a larger version of its Kindle, presumably with a 10.1" display. Unlike the current Kindle Fire, which uses a heavily modified fork of Android 2.3, the larger tablet will use the mainstream version of Android used by tablet makers like Samsung, Toshiba, and Lenovo.

It has nothing to do with people loving Android. I don't really care which way you go, but spouting off hate on a platform you obviously know nothing about with obviously trolling comments will get you downrated every time (hopefully).

I personally use Android (ICS 4.04 on my GNEX), even though many in my family do not. My wife has the same belief that the *phone is so much easier, but costantly has to ask me for help on how to figure out how to do anything but the most mundane things. It is a pain to keep clean (no app drawer for all the apps you don't regularly use, no widgets, no custom lock screen, etc.).

While there was some truth that 2 years ago, Android was more of a fringe, geek product, ICS is beautiful and constantly evolving, unlike the Apple version, which does nothing more in upgrades than lock out features (SIRI) to make you buy the latest, or steal old stuff from Android (The notification bar) from the one that is suppossedly only for idiot Nerds that don't know better.

I want competition, and see what the *phone did to the industry, and over all it is good. Spouting hate for either side (especially from somebody that obviously has never even used a competitors product) just show how much of an idiot you truly are, and deserves downrating.

My kids (8, 11) used to constantly want to use my wife's phone, but after I got mine, they think it is easier, and like the bigger screen. I would recommend an android to anybody that would like to do more with their device than just exactly what apple tells them too, however, there are people that I still recommend apple to. I know my wife will never get anything but an iphone cause she does not like change, and they never really do, so it is perfect for her.